At about the same time, in 1993, four people were inspired, each in different ways and in different places, to build a chapel for travelers of the road and of the spirit. All four of the individuals were Catholic, but only two were previously acquainted. A priest in his early years of priesthood felt God was telling him to build a roadside chapel. A woman, wife and mother, was inspired after a visit to the Cooper Chapel in Arkansas designed by architect Fay Jones. Two architectual partners discovered inspiration “on the job”. Possessed with only the vision and lacking the supplies, talent, and land, the priest prayed for guidance and resources to make the vision a reality. The reality started to emerge when the woman approached him at a reception and proposed that he build a chapel like the one she admired in Arkansas. As if they had tapped the same phone line from God, the two strangers joined to take steps in a bold direction in order to make the chapel a reality in Nebraska. In the meantime, the architect and landscape architect attended a lecture by Fay Jones in Lincoln, Nebraska. Captivated by the simplicity of the man and his chapels, they were inspired to build a similar chapel in Nebraska. Both fantasized a chapel in the hills along the interstate as they drove back to Omaha. The next week, the architect and priest met through a common friend and discovered the presence of the same divine inspirations. Discovering and developing their faith, the four individuals possessed an innocent gratitude and wanted to give back in sincere appreciation for what God had given them. A Vision Cooper Chapel by Fay Jones in Arkansas Site imagined on the return trip from Lincoln
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
At about the same time, in 1993, four people were inspired, each in
different ways and in different places, to build a chapel for travelers
of the road and of the spirit. All four of the individuals were Catholic,
but only two were previously acquainted. A priest in his early years
of priesthood felt God was telling him to build a roadside chapel. A
woman, wife and mother, was inspired after a visit to the Cooper
Chapel in Arkansas designed by architect Fay Jones. Two architectual
partners discovered inspiration “on the job”.
Possessed with only the vision and lacking the supplies, talent, and
land, the priest prayed for guidance and resources to make the vision
a reality. The reality started to emerge when the woman approached
him at a reception and proposed that he build a chapel like the one
she admired in Arkansas. As if they had tapped the same phone line
from God, the two strangers joined to take steps in a bold direction in
order to make the chapel a reality in Nebraska.
In the meantime, the architect and landscape architect attended a
lecture by Fay Jones in Lincoln, Nebraska. Captivated by the simplicity
of the man and his chapels, they were inspired to build a similar chapel
in Nebraska. Both fantasized a chapel in the hills along the interstate
as they drove back to Omaha.
The next week, the architect and priest met through a common
friend and discovered the presence of the same divine inspirations.
Discovering and developing their faith, the four individuals possessed
an innocent gratitude and wanted to give back in sincere appreciation
for what God had given them.
A Vision
Cooper Chapel by Fay Jones in ArkansasSite imagined on the return trip from Lincoln
Several meetings and two years later, the group of four expanded to
seven and spiritually grew together. They were now motivated to find
property. The architect and the landscape architect concluded after
research that the best location would be a mile south of the current Holy
Family Shrine site. God had a better site in mind.
After an initial refusal by the first site owner, the group decided to appraise
the land and present an offer that could not be denied. Surprisingly, they
found a building permit on
the fence post signifying the
land was being developed.
The architect followed his
curiosity to the county and
inquired about the status of
the land. The inquiry led to a
misunderstanding regarding
the location of the desired
property. As a result, the
group was led to the current
site, God’s choice.
Excited to obtain the site recently offered, the group faced a new challenge-
funding the purchase. In addition to the miracle of finding the land,
the group was blessed with another when the seller requested to option
the land and allowed it to be purchased the following year to reduce his
tax burden.
Over the year, the design was developed and the vision was shared with
many. In the final month of the purchase option the vision touched a man
who felt “the vision read like a prayer.” As a result, he funded the entire
purchase. He would be the first of many individuals to answer the call of
the Holy Spirit and give without condition to assure God’s will be done.
1-80PHLUG ROAD
HIG
HW
AY
31CURRENT SITE
LOCATION
INITIAL SITELOCATION
Aerial view of the initial and current site
Site before building looking north Site before building looking south
The group and the project went under intense spiritual building after
the purchase in 1995, but the construction of the project stood still.
The question of the design being human will or God’s will withheld the
project for a couple of years until the Omaha World Herald discovered
and published the story in a 1997 edition. A letter from a responsive
reader confirmed the design as truly being God’s will. The reader had
previously dreamt (at about the same time the others were inspired)
that he was to build a chapel.
As he described the elements of the dream, it was obvious that God was
confirming the intentions of the group and reader. Without previous
contact, the two visions appeared to be identical. Cleansed with the
confidence that the design was God’s will, the project began with the
construction of the parking lot and visitor center in 1997.
Original letter received
Visitor Center view from Chapel Parking lot entrance Visitor Center foundations
In 1999 enough funding was secured to begin the chapel. All things
progressed favorably as the foundations were laid, and fabrication of
the structure trusses were completed.
Excitement heightened as the structural trusses were finally erected the
last week in July 2000. The Chapel was taking shape, but this would
last for a week.
A ferocious windstorm collapsed
the chapel in August 2000 and the
reconsideration over the next year
strengthened both the spirit of
the group and the structure of the
design. As if God was testing their
faith, the group was forced to die of themselves and be purified in
order to continue.
Due to the intricacy of the design, only
a three carpenter crew could work on
the project. As a result, two and half
years were necessary to complete the
Shrine. Finally, in July 2002, the visitor
center and chapel were opened to
the public.
The story of the Holy Family Shrine begins with the intervention
of the Holy Spirit within a few people. These people are of diverse
backgrounds with little chance to meet until the Holy Spirit united
them spiritually with the idea of the Holy Family Shrine. Through a
unique and divine series of events, the individuals discovered they had
been enlightened to the same ideas. The idea was and still is to create a
place off of Interstate 80 for travelers to pray and discover the Catholic
faith. These travelers are not only of the road, but also of the spiritual
voyage on earth.
After two years of searching for a
perfect site for the Holy Family Shrine,
a site was secured, here in the bluffs
over looking the Platte Valley.
The purpose of the Holy Family
Shrine is to provide an opportunity for people to discover and develop
the Catholic faith; an opportunity without the convoluted influences
that camouflage and distort the origin of the Catholic faith.
“Jesus said to him in reply, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, You are Peter, and
upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the nether
world shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the
kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound
in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in
heaven.’’’ Matthew16:17-20
It is with this understanding that the Holy Family Shrine intends to reveal
the apostolic succession of The Church, the Catholic Church, based upon
the Catechism of the Catholic Church that: “The desire for God is written
in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and
God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find the
truth and happiness he never stops searching for.”*
The Mission
The bluffs
The Shrine intends to call the desire within the human heart through
developments that do not distract, but are complementary to the Holy
Spirit. For, “One cannot believe in Jesus Christ without sharing in his
Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who reveals to men who Jesus is.”* It is with
premise that the Holy Family Shrine relies solely on the intervention of
the Holy Spirit to discover and develop the faith within visitors.
The example of the Holy Family Shrine serves as the example of a model
of human life of response to the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the enriched
knowledge and awareness of the lives of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph call
us to serve in similar ways to do God’s will to reach eternal life.
The hope of the Holy Family Shrine is to give those who visit a special
experience of the presence of the Lord, something like Jacob has when
he awoke from his dream of angels ascending and descending upon
the ladder of heaven:
When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he exclaimed, “Truly the Lord is
in this spot, although I did not know it!” In solemn wonder he cried
out: “How awesome is this place! This is nothing else but an abode
of God, and that is the gateway to heaven!” Genesis 28: 16-17
*Cathechism of the Catholic Church 27 & 152 Images are from the original concept sketches
The Shrine Chapel interior
The Holy Family Shrine is situated on a 23-acre site overlooking the
Platte Valley. The native blue stem prairie has been reestablished to
the original form God presented, before man manipulated it. Likewise,
the shrine challenges us to reestablish the godly origin in our lives.
Native perennials highlight the entry and the passage to the chapel,
displaying the color of a pilgrimage with the Holy Spirit. The chapel
serves as beacon atop of the hill, attracting pilgrims to the shrine.
Once on the site, you are drawn to a path cut into the earth exposing a
natural limestone entry. Transitioning through the tomblike entry,
we are called to the need to die of ourselves and be filled with the
Holy Spirit.
Now inside the Visitor Center, we lose orientation. Light from the
center reveals a suspended sculpture. This sculpture represents the
shroud of Christ as it fell to the tomb after the resurrection. Through
its suspension, we are reminded that the resurrection is present today
in our lives. Symbolic of the Holy Spirit, water appears with it’s source
a mystery. As the pool fills with water and we with the Holy Spirit, the
outpouring leads to the Church, literally and spiritually.
Exiting the Visitor Center, we behold the chapel entry
façade. Made of Western Red Cedar, the upper web
members of the trusses interlace like waving wheat in
a field. Wheat, symbolic of the Eucharist, is the structure
of the Catholic church.
Similarly, the trusses support the cedar roof deck 49
feet above the floor at the ridge and 32 feet at the eaves.
The arching members of the trusses were cut out of 850
single boards. The columns on one side are an inch and
a half out of line from the columns on the other side to
allow the arching members to bypass.
Two to three pieces were spliced together to complete one
arch. Splices occur at a bypassing member intricately
calculated via a computer. In fact, full-scale templates were printed and
given to the contractor who cut each piece and created, piece by piece,
the layout.
The chapel sits on limestone that appears to be eroded an exposed
piece of ledge stone atop of the hill. Symbolic of Peter “The Rock” on
which Christ built the Church, the limestone continues throughout
the floor of the church. Once inside the chapel, water continues to
cut through the floor, but splits to each side of the aisle, increasing
in volume and velocity. Limestone bridges the water allowing those
to enter each pew, recalling our baptism. As the water culminates to
it’s highest beneath the altar, the Holy Spirit reaches it’s height there
through the Eucharist.
Three members make up each support column, symbolic of the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit who support our lives. Glass windows between the
columns serve as the chapel walls. The glass allows the harmony of the
God-made nature to interact with the man-made structure, creating
seamless beauty.
Integrated in the design are complimentary accessories
reinforcing the mission of the Shrine. The etched glass
figure of the Holy Family hovers like a spirit over the
chapel. The 16 feet by 8 foot single piece of glass may
be the largest in the United States. Beneath the figure
hangs the corpus of Christ from a plinth of stone from
which the tabernacle is anchored. The tabernacle,
crucifix, and etching combine to reinforce the mysteries
of the Catholic faith, composed to express the Eucharist
as the base of the crucifixion and promise of our eternal
union through the resurrection.
The pews and sanctuary furnishings were custom
designed to articulate the details of the structure.
The light fixtures are an abstract presentation of the
crucifixion. The tiered metal sconce represents the ribs
of Christ and the wood of the cross is supported by the arms of Christ.
The simplistic and modest design is purposeful to suggest how we
may live to obtain the beauty and harmony of God’s will.
The Source of the Water:Although it appears as if the water flows continuously from the Visitor
Center to the chapel, there are really three separate water systems
(Visitor Center, Entry Courtyard, Chapel). The Visitor Center is fed from
a small pipe on top of the southwest cross support above the sculpture.
The Entry Courtyard has an underground re-circulating pump system.
The Chapel has a similar re-circulating system under the floor.
Mechanical System:The heating and cooling is comprised of a geothermal heat pump
system, 8 ton water to air in the Visitor Center and 50 ton water to water
in the Chapel. The water to water system in the chapel is located beneath
the altar. Made up of 10 individual heat pumps, these units exchange
heat through a geothermal well system that puts heat into the ground
or takes it out via 54 wells 175 feet deep just north of the chapel. Water
flows through a continuous pipe that circulates up and down each well.
The conditioned water passes through two air handling units (fans)
that force air through the air troughs along each side, and returns air
through a slot under the altar. Fresh air is introduced through a louver/
door to the mechanical system on the west side. This is the only visible
mechanics of the system. As fresh air is taken in exhausted air is relayed
through the grill above the main entry. In the winter, hot water is passed
through a radiant fin tube located in the spandrel between the columns
at the heart of the light fixtures, heating the upper glass.
Chapel Dimensions:
Building Materials:
1,800 square feet
80 feet 10 inches
26 feet 9 inches
31 feet 9 inches
48 feet 9 inches
Limestone from St. Mary's, Kansas
Limestone from North of Omaha, Nebraska
Western Red Cedar
One Inch Insulated Clear
Red Oak
Area
Length
Width
Eave Height
Ridge Height
Veneer and floor stone
Landscape boulders
Wood structure and trim
Glass
Pews
Elements of Design
Design:The founding group was able to pool personal talents and resources
together to serve as owner, designer, and contractor. Due to the need to
be flexible with phasing, funding, and design, this approach served to
allow God’s hand to be present always and guarded the project against
any compromise. While it seemed to take a long time,
it was learned that God has no watch or calendar.
Starting in 1995 the design was conceived. Working
as God’s pen, the architects developed the design off
and on for seven years.
Serving as master builder, the architect was able to
attempt many methods and materials to determine
the best choice. Teaming up with contractors to
construct the majority of the site and handle general construction,
complimented the ability to refine the design throughout the building
process. An average of three carpenters worked on the project at one
time. This allowed the project to progress at a pace where the designer
and laborer could work seamlessly together.
Construction:The chapel was constructed using a combination
of prefabrication and in-place construction. As the
foundations and site work were being constructed the
steel was fabricated off site. As the steel was delivered
and erected on site, the wood arched trusses were cut
and fabricated on the ground. At the same time the
windows were fabricated and stained off site. The wood
trusses were then erected and the wood roof deck and roof
were installed. With the structure and roof complete the
windows arrived and were installed. Miscellaneous trim
and woodwork followed to add the finishing touches.
Landscape:Native Little and Big Blue stem
Black-Eyed Susan
Purple Dome Aster
Blanket Flower
Purple Liatris
Purple Cone Flower
Prairie
Perennials
Elements of Design
There have been many commonly asked questions about the
development and purpose of the Holy Family Shrine. The following
is an attempt to answer some of those questions.
Why build it?Since the inception of the Holy Family Shrine many questions have
been asked. Some of them have been practical, some curious, and
some philosophical. The most challenging and complicated question
has been “Why do anything?” The founders of the shrine faced this
question continuously as they encountered adversity and challenges.
Although evil demanded equal time, good prevailed. As you are faced
with the question “Why do good?” consider the following:
People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you.
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight.
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, others may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will forget tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be good enough.
Give the world the best you have anyway.
You see, in the final analysis it is between you and God.
It was never between you and “them” anyway.
–Mother Theresa
Why the Holy Family?The family is the core of our existence and our survival as a society.
Recognizing this, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph serve as the ultimate model
of family. The Holy Family Shrine strives to give hope in preserving
the family. As each family strengthens so does our neighborhood,
parish, community, country, and world.
What is a Shrine?A shrine is the memory, presence, and
prophecy of the living God. All Christians
are invited to join and take part in the great
pilgrimage that Christ, the Church and
human kind have accomplished and must
continue accomplishing in history. The shrine
toward which they must be directed is to
become “the tent of meeting” as the bible
calls the tabernacle of the covenant...
“Shrines are thus like milestones that
guide the journey of the children of God
on Earth.” Pope John Paul II
They foster the experience of gathering and
encounter, and the building up of the ecclesial community.*
Why make a pilgrimage?“We are strangers before you, pilgrims only as were all our ancestors.”
(1 Ch 29:15) Since the very first moment of their appearance on the
stage of the world, human beings have always walked in search of
new goals, investigating earthly
horizons and tending toward
the infinite... For the Church,
pilgrimages in all their multiple
aspects, have always been a gift
of grace. In the transfiguration
Jesus took Peter, James, and
John away from their common place on a pilgrimage in order that
God would reveal His Son. “While he was still speaking, behold, a
bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came
a voice that said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well
pleased; listen to him.’” Matthew 17:5 Similarly, may we come from
our common place to this place for Christ to be revealed.
*Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People: "The Shrine"